"Respond to a Poem about a Social Issue"

No Christmas for my children,
No husband for my bed,
No money for tomorrow,
No place to lay my head, No tree with mounds of presents,
No ornaments or lights,
No smiles on Christmas morning,
No feast on Christmas night,
No toys to ease the boredom
Of hours before closed doors,
No family celebrations,
No trips to crowded stores,
No fireplace, no Santa,
No games aglow with friends,
No fire but feeble fury
As Christmas slowly ends.
For me I have no pity,
My sorrow stronger proves,
Because for my sweet children
I've nothing but my love.
-By Dimitri Shostakovich. Sequenced by J. Marques.
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This song is about a family faced with poverty. It's telling the story in the perspective of a mother who feels bad that she doesn't have enough money to celebrate Christmas with and for her children.
I think that although sad, there are a lot of people who can relate to this song. Homelessness and poverty are big problems that many people have to deal with. These 2 issues are always affecting many people, especially now due to the current economic crisis.

The way the song is written makes you feel bad for the mother. Although the song is about her feeling bad for her kids, you pity her because you see that the only reason she wants to be able to get these things are for her kids. The song shows you that she loves her children and wants to give them everything she can't. Through the poem, she is talking about how she feels bad that her kids won't get what they want, her kids won't be able to rest their heads, or have food. She is focusing on wanting everything for her kids. The poem shows that this mother could have nothing for herself, but as long as her loved ones are okay she will be fine.

This song is written to be sad but does have a really thoughtful meaning from the mother to her children.